Sostenuto device for pianos.



E. PETERSON.

SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR PIANOS. APPLICATION FILED DEG. so, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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Emanuel Paterson.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMANUEL PETERSON, OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR PIANOS.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be'it known that I, EMANUEL PETERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vfakefield, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in sostenuto Devices for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for pianos generally known as sostenuto attachments, whereby a selected tone or tones may be prolonged or sustained at will without the performer holding down the key or keys.

It is the purpose of the invention to provide an attachment of the kind stated which is simple in construction and reliable in action, the structure being such that there is no danger of any of the parts getting stuck or jammed when in action.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment applied to a grand action. Fig. 2 is a similar view showmg the parts in another position. Fig. 3 is a lan view.

eferring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes one of the damper levers of the action, the same being pivoted at 6 to a stationary rail 7 and carrying a damper 8 operating in the ordinary manner against the string 9. The key for actuating the damper lever is indicated at 10. The free end of the damper lever carries a projecting wire 11 the outer end of which is flattened as indicated at 12 and-is engageable by the rear felted end of the key, whereby the damper lever is actuated when the key is depressed in the ordinary manner. The wire 11 can be set at any angle to meet the key, and it may also by bending be adjusted to regulate the lift of the damper.

The sostenuto device comprises a series of fingers 13, one for each damper lever 5, and designed to engage a rod 14 carried by the under side of the damper lever, slightly spaced therefrom. The rod is made of wire and its extremity, which is engageable by the finger 13, is bent into an eye 15. By giving the extremity of the rod this shape, there is no point where the rod will i am, and the operation of the sostenuto device is therefore rendered certain and reliable in action. The finger 13 is carried by a swinging or rocking rail 16 which is attached to rods 17 pivoted at 18 to brackets 19 sup ported by the rail 7. On the under side of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Serial No. 739,293.

the rail 16 is mounted a flange 20 projecting from the forward edge thereof and having said projecting portion formed into two laterally spaced ears 21 between which the finger is pivoted at its lower end as indicated at 22. The sides and top or free end of the finger are felted. In front of the rail 16 is a stationary rail 23 carried by the bracket 19. The finger 13 normally lies between these two rails, and that side of the stationary rail with which the finger contacts is felted. The rail 7 carries a spring 24 for restoring the rail 16 to its normal position. From the rail 16 extends an arm 25 which rests on top of the sostenuto pedal rod 26, whereby said rail is swung to bring the finger 13 into operative position. The pedal has not been shown as it forms no part of the present invention.

The operation of the device is as follows: If it is desired to sustain any given tone or combination of tones, the proper key or keys are struck, and before the fingers are lifted off the same the sostenuto pedal will be operated to swing the rail 16 rearward and upward. Vvhen the keys are struck the rods 1 1 swing upward with the levers 5, and when the rail 16 swings as stated, the fingers 13 come into position beneath the eyes 15. This looks the damper levers 5 and prevents the dampers from returning to the strings so long as the rail 16 is held lifted. Upon releasing the sostenuto pedal the spring 2 1 swings the rail 16 back to its normal position, which withdraws the fingers 13 from the extremities of the rods 14:, and allows the damper levers to drop down so as to again bring the dampers against the strings. Fig. 1 shows the normal position of the parts, and Fig. 2 shows the position of the parts when the dampers are being held off the strings.

The fingers 13 are all held in proper alinement by means of the rail 23, which makes the action reliable at all times. The fingers work sufliciently tight on their pivots so that they will not drop back against the rail 23 when in the position shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1. In a piano, the combination of adamper lever, a rod carried thereby, rocking and stationary rails, and a pivoted finger carried by the rocking rail and adapted to engage the rod to lock the damper lever, said finger being normally positioned between the rocking and stationary rails.

station 1 ails, a flange carried by the rocking rail and projecting therefrom, and a finger pivoted to the prqectmg portion of the flange and adapted to engage the rod to look the damper lever, said finger normally having one side in engagement with the rocking rail and its other side With the stationary rail.

3. in a piano, the combination of a damper lever, a, reel carried thereby, a rocking rail, a pivoted finger carried by the rocking rail and adapted to engage the rod to lock the damper lever, and a stationary rail en gageable by said finger for holding the same in alinement.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of Witnesses.

EMANUEL PETERSON. \Vitnesses E. IIANSON, GERDU M. HANSON, ELMER C. RICHARDSON.

Copies OK this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

